Abstract nominee

When Gianmaria peers over the edge of the Venetian canals he sees mist-ravaged lands, turbulent storms and eerie forests.

Here on the edge of Venice he set out to capture these worlds stumbling upon a tale of nature and humankind which has unfolded thanks to an intruder that every summer slithers outwards and across the lagoon.

Following the Venetian tides he waited for the perfect light of day to uncover his landscapes while the continual ebb of the water rendered no two compositions alike. At the same time its ripples and reflections allowed him to experiment with textures akin to incisions and paint strokes.

Stowing away on the hulls of boats, the marine plant Sargassum muticum, now known to locals as ‘I capelli di Venezia’ (the hair of Venice), came to the Venetian lagoon from Asia in recent decades threatening the lagoon’s biodiversity and coiling and twisting around the oars and prows of the city’s gondolas and ferries, thwarting their passage.

In a series of black and white images, ‘I capelli di Venezia’ in contrast with the water reveals an enchanting wilderness that thrives in the midst of human endeavour both as a consequence of it and a menace to

Gianmaria De Luca is an artist working mostly with photography and printmaking. He works to share through the imagination, realising images born of collaborations and interactions with artists and muses, and his environment.

Compelled by the mystery of reality and its relationship to the photographic process he often employs techniques that occur only at the moment of shooting such as light painting and multiple exposure. Untouched by digital manipulation the results are none the less impossible, imaginary worlds.

Born in Rome, Italy, he blends the influence of his Italian heritage with insight he pursues in different cultures and experiences through travel, creating the original and contemporary imagery in his work.His work to date includes fine art and reportage photography, experimental installations and work with notable artists and masters of costume and set design, journalism, and filmmaking as well as commissioned work for clients that include Fortuny, Concrete Playground, The Secret Garden Festival, Laneway Festival and Pietro Ruffo. He has exhibited globally throughout Italy, Northern Ireland, Germany, Switzerland and Australia.